Towing for the First Time

[g0onie]

I have a 2006 V6 4Runner with a towing package. I plan on towing a 5 x 8 Uhaul about 400 miles. Is there anything that I should do for my car before towing? Or anything that I should be aware of? I just want to make sure that I'm not doing anything dangerous or detrimental to my vehicle. Thanks for the help!

 

[kkz]

Transmission cooler wouldn't hurt but the 5x8 is pretty light so you should be fine either way. I towed the 6x12 Uhaul about the same distance without any issues and it was fully loaded with a whole apartment worth of junk.

 

[Burt]

Don't need to do anything while towing such light trailer. Load it properly so the tongue brake works as it should.

 

[Derek G]

Try to keep the tranny from kicking down out of O/D all of the time, if it starts to I would tow it in 4th gear or with the O/D off (can't remember if the V6 has an O/D off switch, V8 you switch to 4th) Avoid using cruise control to keep this from happening.

 

[gshadow325]

Avoid cruise really? I didn't know this. I towed a small guy too for 300 miles up thru done mountain passages with cruise on. Guess the v8 did better with towing

 

[Derek G]

Avoid cruise really? I didn't know this. I towed a small guy too for 300 miles up thru done mountain passages with cruise on. Guess the v8 did better with towing

You can use the cruise control if its not kicking out of overdrive at every hill. I'll use it to take a break when I'm not in overdrive and it's relatively flat because it doesn't kick down. Using it when towing can be really hard on your engine, transmission, torque converter, gas mileage, etc.

 

[bobbarker]

The Uhaul 5x8 is no sweat for your car. You will barely feel that it's back there.

I've got a V6...towed a 6x12 loaded to the gills across the US...no problem. For that, I did install a transmission cooler. But for a 5x8 around town, no sweat. Maybe lock it out of 5th gear to keep it from hunting on inclines.